Bless the PR folks out there who are trying to drum up interest and excitement about an upcoming release by making comparisons to well-known and respected franchises, but I would say when they overreach they do so at their own peril. Having never heard of Biomechanical Toy before, I’ll say my interest was piqued by it being compared to Metal Slug. Considering that not only has that series always looked incredibly good, but is also one of the most well-known side-scrolling shooters of all time, I’m the type of person who takes such a comparison seriously. Unfortunately, making that connection only serves to make a hot mess of a game look and feel even worse.

Starting with the positives, I at least have to give credit to the people who initially made this for their insane levels of originality. The weird fantasy sort of world this is all happening in at least makes for sights you’ve likely never seen, and some enemy creations I doubt anyone else could imagine. Whatever the game’s issues, that at least makes it fun, even if only temporarily. In some ways the design and flow of the stages reminds me of Aero the Acrobat as well, so it’s possible that fans of that classic may get an extra thrill here to boot.

All that said, on multiple levels it’s all a bit of a mess. A lack of familiar enemies and more traditional platforming elements can make the flow of action tough to follow at times, making the seemingly needless fact that you’re fighting the clock all the more baffling. In terms of the game’s mechanics they also have a tendency to feel a bit slow and muddy, especially when contrasted with peers like the iconic Contra and others that tended to have crisp and responsive controls. Putting together the big picture, while it’s obvious this was a game that had ambitions, it also feels like it got lost somewhere along the way, keeping it pretty far from meeting its true potential. If you’re down for something unique, this may not be a bad match, but if you’re looking for something even marginally polished, it’s unfortunately going to feel lacking.